


slowly falling

by literatiruinedme



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Caretaking, Cuddling & Snuggling, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 08:56:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17464421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literatiruinedme/pseuds/literatiruinedme
Summary: Some nights were worse than others.On occasion, he found her lost in her head and ended up carrying her to bed so they could fall asleep in one another's arms.Other nights, she’d settle down in his lap, making him focus on her voice and her heartbeat when the outside world was too overwhelming.But there were nights that their episodes synced up and those were the worst.all chapters are unrelated.Updated randomly as I have my depressive episodes.





	slowly falling

**Author's Note:**

> this was just cathartic. sorry if it's a mess.

Some nights were worse than others.

On occasion, he found her lost in her head and ended up carrying her to bed so they could fall asleep in one another's arms.

Other nights, she’d settle down in his lap, making him focus on her voice and her heartbeat when the outside world was too overwhelming.

But there were nights that their episodes synced up and those were the worst.

“We did nothing today,” Betty mumbled, looking at the clock on her nightstand. _4:52 pm_ blinked back at her in angry red numbers.

Jughead grunted in acknowledgement. He took a deep breath, reaching out for her hand, relaxing beside her when their fingers interlocked. “We did.”

Betty sighed, shifting so she was more comfortable, her leg hooking over his calf.

He shifted so he was looking at her, half his face squished into the pillow. The dark circles under his eyes gave away how exhausted he was.

She was sure she looked the same.

He squeezed her hand, wordlessly asking her to release his hand. He shifted from his stomach onto his back, holding his hand out to her, letting out a content sigh when she took it once more. “Are you mad?” he asked, his voice shy.

Betty's brows furrowed. She reached up to brush a lock of hair out of his eyes. “Why would I be mad?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “I know you don't like wasting days on depression.”

She rolled her eyes, offering him a genuine smile. It was small and a bit of a challenge getting it to reach her eyes, but smiling was hard for her sometimes. “Juggie, did you sleep at all last night?”

He yawned but nodded his head. “Finally passed out at around three or four, but I woke up at least once an hour until about noon-” He stifled another yawn as he reached up to rub his eyes. “I couldn't function today if you paid me to.”

She hummed in agreement, letting her eyes slip shut.

He squeezed her hand, making her meet his gaze once more. “You didn't sleep, did you?”

Betty sighed, looking down at the pink pillow lines fading on his cheek. “I slept a little.”

“Can you at least look me in the eyes when you're going to lie?”

She quirked a brow.

He sighed, rubbing his temple. “I’m sorry, that was a little mean.”

She hummed, looking up at him. “I got maybe two hours of sleep. I don't totally remember.”

He frowned. “Betts-”

“Don't.” She shook her head. “You getting huffy isn't going to change anything.”

He sighed, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. “You're right, I'm sorry.”

Betty's arm snaked around his neck, pulling him closer until he was covering half of her body with his own. She tangled her fingers in his hair, slowly combing through it as a means of distracting him.

He groaned, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “Betty, don't.”

She kissed his temple. “I do what I want.”

“ _Stop_.” He laughed weakly, the sound a watered-down substitute for the noise she knew so well. He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her tightly, grounding her. “I want to stay up with you.”

She shushed him, continuing the slow drag of her fingers. Her fingertips trailed up his spine, making him shiver.

He whined, nipping at her collarbone.

“Juggie-”

“Stop trying to put me to sleep.” He pushed up on his forearm, looking down at her intently.

She swallowed hard, looking at his messy hair to avoid meeting his eyes.

He reached up to brush his fingertips along her cheek, his touch so gentle she could get lost in it. “Talk to me, Betty.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to take calming breaths. “I can't-” Her voice cracked as tears finally found their way to her eyes.

He frowned before pulling her closer until their bodies were flush, both of them on their sides. He kissed her forehead, holding her tightly. “We’re almost through it,” he whispered in her ear. He kissed her hair, rubbing his hand in firm circles between her shoulders.

She gripped him like he was the only thing real- but on days like this, it felt like he was. She ignored the hollow feeling in her chest, instead trying to focus on his heartbeat to ground herself.

“Today's just a bad day.”

She whimpered, biting her lower lip as she cried into his shirt, the fabric soft against her face.

“That’s it,” he whispered as her fingers fisted in the worn fabric of his black shirt. “Let it out.”

She took a shaky breath. “Jug-”

He shushed her, reaching up to cup the back of her neck. His thumb slowly trailed up and down the side of her throat, his touch bringing her back to herself.

As her tears subsided, they found themselves laying in silence.

“Better?” He asked, kissing the corner of her mouth.

She nodded, letting out a shaky breath. “Better.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “Good.”

Betty offered another weak smile just before his stomach growled. She pulled back to catch his eye, one teasing brow raised. “You haven't gotten up at all yet, have you?”

He shook his head. “I would have made you come with me.”

She gave him a weak smile, reaching up to cup his cheek. “Do you want to check the kitchen or-”

“Takeout.”

Betty nodded. “Pizza?”

“Couldn't care less,” he admitted.

She hummed, pressing a parting kiss to his lips before she pulled away, reaching out for her phone. She turned to face away from him, relaxing when his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close again.

He rested his chin on her shoulder, watching as she pulled up the website for their favourite pizza place. “Garbage?”

She nodded, adding a large pizza to her shopping cart. She scrolled down the appetizers, searching for their usual. “An order of garlic bread and fried mozzarella, too?”

He yawned, giving her a squeeze. “You're the perfect woman.”

Betty turned to look at him after placing the order, letting her eyes slip shut and her phone fall from her hand when he kissed her lips. “You say that too often.”

“Never,” Jughead huffed. “You're just as depressed as me _and_ you have the appetite to match. Those are pretty much my only requirements for perfect.”

Betty sighed, reaching up to cup his cheek. “That's it?”

He nodded, kissing her cheek again. “That and the cynicism you've been known to throw out.” He yawned, burying his face in her hair. “You're perfect.”

She used to hate that word- _perfect_. It reminded her of the first sixteen years of her life before Alice finally got over her obsession with appearing as the perfect family.

But Jughead gave it new meaning.

He called her perfect, not because it was something she had to strive for, but because he genuinely believed she was perfect the way she was.

To him, she was perfect at seven, at sixteen, at twenty-three.

“I love you.”

He smiled against her shoulder. “I love you, too.”

Betty sighed, reaching out for one of his hands. Their fingers interlocked and she pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “Want to try to nap?”

He nodded behind her, his lack of verbal response signalling that he was already on the verge of falling asleep.

She took a deep breath before letting her eyes slip closed.

Some nights were worse than others, but at least they had each other.

**Author's Note:**

> if you or someone you know has depression or a mental illness, don't be afraid to ask for or offer help.
> 
> if you even need a human, feel free to come talk to me- literatiruinedme on tumblr.


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